Author: Administrador

By Dean Inserra In a ministry culture where we’re told to be “known more by what we’re for than what we’re against,” it has become increasingly popular to claim our churches are “for the city.” While I believe churches should be known both for what we’re for and against, it’s certainly good news that the … Continue reading “What Does It Mean to Be “For the City”?”

Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas, but how much do we really know about the biblical story? In Urban Legends of the New Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions (B&H Academic), David Croteau explores and explains numerous misunderstandings of the Bible, including some from the Christmas narrative. In previous Christmas Urban Legend … Continue reading “Christmas Urban Legends: Shepherds as Outcasts”

GLOBAL MIGRATION IS GIVING THE CHURCH AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH THE WORLD By Jenny Yang Tinkering with cars in South Korea changed the trajectory of my father’s life. An orphan in a desperately poor country, he faced a bleak future—until he won a national car repair competition, and a judge offered … Continue reading “When the Nations Come to Us”

By Cindy Landes Flashback to the time when I was about six years out of college, married, traveling most weeks for work, having my first child, and living in Chicago away from family. My husband, Charles, and I were overwhelmed. Charles grew up attending a small-town Baptist church but had stopped attending church before I … Continue reading “Meet the Unchurched Where They Are”

By Aaron Earls If you really want a romantic date this Valentine’s Day, instead of going to a fancy restaurant, you might think about taking your spouse to church on Sunday. A study released by the Institute of Family Studies (IFS) found that couples who regularly go to church together report higher levels of happiness … Continue reading “Want a Happy Relationship? Go to Church Together”

By Aaron Earls Most American churches have 80 or fewer worshippers each week and fewer than 45 percent of churches have grown more than 2 percent in the last five years, according to a study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Ultimately, it is God who brings growth to churches, but research shows several … Continue reading “7 Statistics That Predict Church Growth”

Church size no barrier to thinking big By Lisa Cannon Green Your worship leader only knows three chords. If you pay the part-time secretary, you can’t afford to fix the leaky roof. Without more volunteers, the mission trip will be in trouble. Welcome to the small church, the fast-growing segment that triggers hand-wringing among the … Continue reading “The Power of Small”

By Thom S. Rainer The size of a church is not always an indicator of its health. One might argue if a church were effectively reaching people it would not remain small. But that’s not always the case. Many smaller churches are in locations with a small population base or areas of transition. But these … Continue reading “7 Characteristics of Healthy Small Churches”

By Ed Stetzer Many American Christians have this idea that if a church is big, it must be better, but that’s not necessarily the case. Our obsession with “bigness” can be a reflection of American values, instead of biblical ones. While we often pull our cultural values into our measuring grid for success, size is … Continue reading “Can Small Be Healthy?”

By Jared C. Wilson Pastors are a motley group of souls. We represent different personalities and tribes, different methodologies and styles, not to mention denominations, traditions, and theologies. But there is something many of us have in common—a profound sense of insecurity for which the only antidote is the gospel. It’s easy to succumb to … Continue reading “Pastor, Find Your Identity in Christ”